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I am not a fan any of the surface books so far. In my opinion the touch isn’t as accurate as an ipad. Also they are very easy to break and they don’t have alot of room for storage. This new Surface Book 2 has been getting phenomenal reviews, but it will still take some time before that I am any kind of convinced that this one is that much better that the other models. Regardless of what type of computer you buy, I always recommend a Solid State Drive (SSD) Learn how a SSD and HDD compare against each other.

Microsoft’s Future Decoded conference kicked off in London today, showcasing the newest iteration in its hybrid laptop range, the Surface Book 2. The company faces the challenge of improving on a winning design, and with that in mind, don’t expect anything mind-blowing when it comes to differences between the first and second-generation Surface Book.

In order to tempt users towards the Surface Book 2, Microsoft has leant into one of the things that the Surface range is celebrated for; customer choice. Not only has the Surface Book 2 received a hardware upgrade, it’s now available as both a 13in and 15in model, which Microsoft believes will appease both those customers looking for something that’s easier to carry, and those looking for a bigger screen to work from at a desk.

It’s biggest problem remains its weight. At just over 1.5kg in its laptop form, it’s fractionally heavier than its predecessor and therefore still a little uncomfortable to carry around. The good news is that the tablet screen is incredibly light, which is understandable given that most of the battery capacity, and its dedicated Nvidia GPU, are located in the keyboard.

The fulcrum hinge, which has become arguably its most recognisable feature, makes a return, although Microsoft confirmed it had been reinforced on the 15in model to support the extra weight. Unfortunately, you’re still required to let the device know when you plan to detach the screen from its keyboard, otherwise you risk forcing some incompatible apps into an error state. It’s a niggling problem that will remain jarring for those used to the fluid transition between tablet and laptop found on the Surface Pro.

It fits comfortably into Microsoft’s wider strategy for creating premium devices that cater for every type of user. Unlike the oddly-positioned Surface Laptop, which Microsoft admits has received a mixed response, the Surface Book has genuine appeal as a device that offers a more powerful alternative to the Surface Pro.

The most obvious change with the Surface Book 2 is the choice of sizes. The 13in version has near identical dimensions to the previous generation, while the new 15in model offers a larger screen to work with. However, other than the larger size, the screens have more or less been left untouched. Interestingly the contrast ratio has been knocked down a touch to 1600:1, but this is unlikely to make much of a difference.

In fact, very little has changed on the exterior, and if you’re a Surface Book owner, you’ll struggle to find many differences. The keyboard keys still sit flush with its base, rather than having an indented outline, which gives it a gorgeous effect of being one solid chunk of matte aluminium. The typing experience is just as pleasant and accurate as it is on the first generation, and, true to Microsoft form, the touchpad is superb.

Microsoft’s second-generation flagship notebook impresses. Microsoft’s Future Decoded conference kicked off in London today, showcasing the newest iteration in its hybrid laptop range, the Surface Book 2. The company faces the challenge of improving on a winning design, and with that in mind, don’t expect anything mind-blowing when it […]